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DENONVILLE’s EXPEDITION TO THE GENESEE COUNTRY AND NIAGARA.

and pray, Sir, whick is itt of us both, that hath taken the way to unty that knott of friendshipp—Mons r de Nonuille invadeing the King of England’s territorys, in a hostill manner, (tho’ his receptionhas not been according to his expectation) is soe plaine a matter of fact that it is undelayable whe-ther you did it designedly, to make a misunderstanding or noe, I cannot tell, if you did I hope ittwill take noe effect butt that our masters at home notwithstanding all your trained souldiers andgreate officers come from Europe will suffer us poor planters and farmers, his Majesties subjects inthese parts of America , to do ourselves justice on you for the injuryes and spoyle you have commit-ted on them, and I assure you Sir if my master gives leave I will be as soon [with you] at Quebeckas you shall be att Albany, as for Major M c Gregorie and those others you took prisoners they hadno passe from me to go to Missillimaquine butt a pass to go to the Ottowawas, where I thought itmight bee as free for us to trade as for you, and as for giving them any commission or instructions todisturb your people I assure you do me wrong, and if you please to read his instructions you willfind there I give express orders to the contrary and for your pretences to sixty yeares possession, ’tisimpossible for they and the Indians who wear pipes thro’ their noses, traded with Albany long beforethe French settled att Montreall, butt in case it weare as you alledge, which I have not the leastreason to believe, you could only have prohibited their trading in that place and let them goe to someother nation—

It is verry true I offered you to leave the decision to our masters at home, in case of any difference,and pray Sir lett me know in what I in the least have acted to the contrary; you tell me I hinderedthe five nations on this side the lake, who have subjected themselues, their countrys, and conquestsunder the King of England to go to you at Cattaraque : Itts very true I did so and thought itt veryunjust in you to desire their comeing to you—for the King of England did not send me here to sufferyou, to give laws to his subjects of this Government—you also alleage that I have given orders tothose Indians to pillage and warr upon your people—sure Sir, you forgot what you desired of me;if you will please to reflect on one of your owne letters, in which you acquainted me, that many ofyour people run away into this Government, and desired that I would take and send back any shouldbe found upon this side the lake without your passe, upon which I ordered those of Albany and alsothe Indians, to seize and secure all persons whatever, as well french as English , they should finde onthis side of the lake without your pass or mine—truly Sir, I ought severely to be rebukt for this, itthaving been the hindrance of many thousands of beavers comeing to Albany: further you blame mefor hindring the Sinakees dehuering up the Ottawawa prisoners to you, this I did with good reason—for what pretence could you have to make your applications to them and not to me, neverthelesse Iordered Major M c Gregory to carry them to the Ottawaways and if your claim be only to Missili-maquina what cause had you to hinder Magregory to go to the Ottawawas—

What you alleage concerning my assisting the Sinnakees with arms, and amunition to warr againstyou, was neuer giuen by mee until the sixt of August last, when understanding of your unjust pro-ceedings in invaeding the King, My Masters territorys, in a hostill manner, I then gave them powderlead and armes; and united the five nations together to defend that part of our King’s dominionsfrom your injurious invasion. And as for offering them men in, that you doe me wrong, our menbeing all biusy then att their haruest, and I leave itt to your judgement whether there was any occa-sion when only foure hundred of them engaged with your whole army.—You tell me in case I assistthe Indyans you will esteme me an ennemy to your colony—Sir, give me leave to lett you know, youare a farr greater ennemy to your Colony than I am, itt haueing always been my endevour to keepethose Indyans from warring with you, who in your protecting their enemys that have killed andItobbed them in their hunting and otherwise, and that not once but several times have given themgreat provocations, butt you have taken away to spill a great deale of Christian blood without gainingthe point you aim att, and for you who have taken the King’s subjects prisoners, in a time of peace